DATE=9/25/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239262
TITLE=IRAN/RUSHDIE REACT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOME IRANIAN EXPERTS HAVE EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM WHETHER
THE DEATH THREAT AGAINST SALMAN RUSHDIE HAS BEEN RENOUNCED,
DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT'S ASSURANCES IT NO LONGER SUPPORTS THE
EDICT. AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE REPORTS FROM
WASHINGTON, SOME BELIEVE IRAN'S OWN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
INTERESTS ARE AT THE HEART OF THE APPARENT TURNABOUT.
TEXT: KENNETH TIMMERMAN PUBLISHES THE NEWSLETTER 'IRAN BRIEF'
AND IS AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT
IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KAMAL KHARRAZI MADE BEFORE THE WORLD IN
NEW YORK THURSDAY. THE EDICT, OR FATWA, AGAINST THE BRITISH
AUTHOR WAS DECLARED BY IRAN'S LATE SPIRITUAL LEADER AYATOLLAH
KHOMEINI IN 1989.
// TIMMERMAN ACT //
IF YOU TALK TO SHIITE ISLAMIC CLERICS WHO ARE
KNOWLEDGEABLE, SUCH AS AYATOLLAH ROUHANI IN PARIS AND
HIS BROTHER IN QOM, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THE FATWA
DIED WITH THE DEATH OF AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI AND THEY WILL
TELL YOU THAT FATWAS DO NOT LIVE AFTER THE DEATHS OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE ISSUED THEM. BUT IF YOU TALK TO IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY CAN
NOT RESCIND THE FATWA BECAUSE OF AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI'S
DEATH AND THEREFORE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE
GOVERNMENT SAYS, THE FATWA EXISTS.
// END ACT //
REZA PAHLAVI IS THE SON OF THE LATE SHAH OF IRAN, WHOSE
GOVERNMENT FELL IN THE COUNTRY'S ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN 1979.
// PAHLAVI ACT //
I SUPPOSE WE ARE STARTING A NEW PROCESS NOW.
// END ACT //
BUT HE, AS WELL, REMAINS SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE MOTIVATION OF THE
IRANIAN GOVERNMENT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE RUSHDIE DEATH ORDER.
// SECOND PAHLAVI ACT //
THE PARADOX HERE IS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A
THEOCRACY WHICH NEVERTHELESS REMAINS PRETTY MUCH BOUND
BY THE LIMITATION OF ITS OWN LAWS WHICH ARE DIVINE LAWS
AND ANYTHING THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE COUNTRY POLITICALLY
AS WELL AS ECONOMICALLY IN TERMS OF REFORMS IS PRETTY
MUCH RESTRICTED BY THE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM. ON THE
OTHER HAND, SUCH A SYSTEM HAS TO MANAGE TO SURVIVE AND
IF PART OF THE SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON REESTABLISHING
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY HAVE LEARNED THAT
STAYING ISOLATED THEY CAN NOT POSSIBLY SURVIVE OR
BENEFIT FROM IT, I GUESS THE SHIFT IN ATTITUDE IS PRETTY
MUCH INDICATIVE OF THAT.
// END ACT //
STILL, SALMAN RUSHDIE HIMSELF IS CALLING THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY
IRAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER A GREAT AND FINAL STEP AND THE END OF A
DREADFUL PERIOD OF HIS LIFE. AND, HE SAYS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
HAS GIVEN HIM THE MOST CATEGORICAL ASSURANCES THAT THREATS FROM
IRAN HAVE NOW ENDED.
// REST OPT //
FRANCES D'SOUZA IS DIRECTOR OF BRITAIN'S ANTI-CENSORSHIP ARTICLE
19 GROUP, WHICH LOBBIED FOR NINE YEARS TO GET GOVERNMENTS AROUND
THE WORLD TO PRESSURE IRAN TO RESCIND THE RUSHDIE FATWA.
// D'SOUZA ACT //
EFFECTIVELY, IT IS NULL AND VOID, THE FATWA, AND THAT'S
REALLY WHAT THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT IS SAYING. THEY'VE
GONE AS FAR AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN IN TERMS OF THE
RELIGIOUS SENSIBILITIES OF THEIR PEOPLE. AND WHAT
EFFECT IT WILL HAVE LONG TERM ON (INTERNATIONAL)
RELATIONSHIPS? IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT WHAT IRAN HAS
DONE BY MAKING THIS GESTURE, WHICH IS AFTER ALL A VERY
BRAVE GESTURE, IS TO IMMEDIATELY BRING IRAN BACK INTO
THE FELLOWSHIP OF NATIONS. THAT IS TO SAY THAT IT IS AN
UPSTANDING CIVILIZED STATE WHICH WISHES TO NEGOTIATE
PROBLEMS THROUGH POLITICAL CHANNELS RATHER THAN THROUGH
TERRORISM.
// END ACT //
SO CONFIDENT IS HE THAT THE THREAT FROM IRAN HAS BEEN FINALLY
LIFTED THAT SALMAN RUSHDIE NO LONGER WANTS THE ROUND THE CLOCK,
BLANKET PROTECTION THAT HAS BEEN AFFORDED HIM BY BRITAIN FOR THE
PAST NINE YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/GC/
25-Sep-98 4:01 PM EDT (2001 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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